Cruciatus
by motley27
Summary: This is my first attempt at any ff! so reply honestly! hermione finds love in an odd person, and has to find a way to cope with it. She is in for many new changes in her life, and not all of them are good ones, bum bum bum buh!
1. Mother Nature Herself

Hermione lay awake for several hours pondering how she would tell her two best friends that she would return back to Hogwarts if it reopened. She wondered what Harry's reaction would be, if he would be angry because she had said that she would go with them to search for the remaining Horcruxes. She worried about how Ron would react with her decision. They were getting to be close last year, and she was hoping she wouldn't ruin it all.

'Are you still awake, dear?' Hermione realized that she was tossing and turning and her bed was making horrible squeaking noises.

'Yes. I can't sleep Mum,' Hermione must have sounded so pitiful, because her mother came in and wrapped her daughter in her arms. Hermione was grateful of this. She needed to be loved right now, she was just so confused and nothing was making sense. Why was everything resting on Harry? It wasn't fair to him, or Ron, or even her. How can they expect everything to be stopped by a seventeen year old boy? It was ridiculous.

'What's wrong, Bambi?' Hermione had to smile; her mother hadn't called her that in years.

'It's just… everything,' Hermione couldn't stop the tears the fell from her eyes, onto her mother's chest.

'Well, I'm always here if you need me Bambi, I'm not going anywhere.' Mrs. Granger's voice was so caring, and so loving it made Hermione feel like the luckiest girl in the world. She had a great Mum, and not many people can say that.

'Thank you Mum, you really did help-' a sob escaped her- 'I'm sorry I kept you and Dad up,' Hermione felt horribly guilty, here she was being as selfish and bratty as Pansy Parkinson, and her Mum was being as kind and caring as Mother Nature herself.

'Oh, don't worry, Bambi, that's our job. We love you, and want you to be happy. But get some sleep; we can talk more in the morning if you want? We will have plenty of time before we go to France,' Mrs. Granger kissed Hermione on the forehead and left the room.

Hermione thought a little longer, and decided she would send Ron and Harry an owl on her way to France. That way she wouldn't have to deal with their hurt looks and she could have a guilt free vacation. And she went to sleep within seconds, feeling content, and in control of her life.


	2. Old Dreams, New Concerns

Chapter 2- Old Dreams, New Concerns

When Hermione woke that morning she looked over at her alarm clock; it was 6:28. Disgusted at how she couldn't sleep again, she decided to get out of bed, and start thinking about those letters. When she got to the kitchen, where her mother is usually drinking her coffee, sat no one. Hermione guessed that she had kept her up last night and caused her to sleep in. But Mrs. Granger deserved a break.

Hermione opened the kitchen cupboard and out fell her old recipe book. This made her laugh. When she was about seven, her biggest dream was to be a world renowned chef. Now she had much bigger opportunities, but still loved to cook. She rifled through the book and found her own recipe for a continental breakfast. This gave her the idea to make a nice breakfast for her Mum and Dad.

Eggs, Milk, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Bread, Pan. That's all she needed for her French toast. The hash browns would be a bit different, but she would deal with that after. She cooked the French toast to perfection every time. This surprised her, seen as she hadn't cooked in around ten years. As she started to chop the potatoes for hash browns, she decided she would experiment with a few spices. 'A hint of rosemary is great', she added to her recipe in black ink. When she finished with the hash browns, she poured her Mum a glass of Apple, and her Dad some orange juice. She put each breakfast on a tray and went to her parents' room, she got to the door, and thought about the time, when she read the clock it said that it was nearly eight o'clock.

She knocked on their door and walked into their elegant room. Her Mum and Dad sat up in their bed, and asked if she was alright.

'I'm fine; I just decided to make you some breakfast. I hope you like it,' Hermione said as she laid the trays before the two adults.

'It looks beautiful, darling. Thank you so much!' Her mother said delightedly.

'Yes, it certainly does. It's a perfect way to start a morning!' her father put in.

'Well, I hope it tastes as good as it looks,' Hermione said as she left the room to clean up her mess.

When she finished cleaning she sat down at the coffee table in the living room with two pieces of parchment and a quill. She had a purpose. And that was to go back to Hogwarts and study Horcruxes, she would be helping them, but would they understand that? She hoped so.

She started with Harry's, hoping it would be easier than Ron's.

_Dear, Harry, _

_I hope you have been having a good summer. I know it must be hard for you. Have you gotten your Apparition test scheduled yet? Have the Dursleys been absolutely dreadful? I hope that you are dealing with everything alright, it's been kind of rough on me, but I'm coping. I was actually writing to you to tell you that, as long as Hogwarts does reopen, I am going to attend for my final year. I am not trying to get you to come back, I know that you belong out there, and are ready for what's out there. But I belong at school. I can be of most help to you and Ron when I'm with my books. I do hope you understand Harry._

_All my best wishes, _

_Hermione _

Hermione hoped that would be good enough. She read it over several times, and thought it covered the point. Now she would have to think of a way to inform Ron. This would be more difficult, she hadn't addressed him since last year, and she hoped that last year didn't make it as awkward for him, as it did for her.

_Dear Ron, _

_I hope you have been having a wonderful summer so far! How are Bill and Fleur? I hope everything is going great with them to. I have been doing pretty good so far, and am heading off for France this afternoon. We get to go and visit my Aunty Lena and Cousin Krista. I just want you to know, that I will be going back to Hogwarts as long as it reopens. I strongly believe that I will be of most help to you and Harry if I stay at Hogwarts with my books, and studies. I think that you should go with Harry to destroy the Horcruxes and defeat Voldermort. When it comes time though, I will definitely face Voldemort with you two. We both need to be there to help keep Harry safe. I hope you don't think I am doing this because I want to avoid you, I don't. I want to see you, just as much as I always have. _

_Love, _

_Hermione_

Hermione considered what she just wrote, did she love Ron? She wasn't sure. Was it cruel to put _Love _at the end, if it wasn't true? Or would it be worse if she didn't? She was concerned with this thought as she packed, and as she got into the car for France. She only stopped thinking about it when she fell asleep on the drive up to her Aunt's house.


	3. Trails to Trials

Chapter 3- Trails to Trials

'Yes, she eez very bright in 'er school?' A voice woke Hermione, and she realized that she was lying on her bed at her Aunt's house, and the voice was her cousin, Krista.

'Who're you talking about?' Hermione asked wearily.

'Why, you, of courz!' Krista said with her heavy French accent.

'Oh, well who're you talking to?' Hermione said, a little bit more awake, now that she was having a conversation.

'Uncle Doug, he eez behind you,' Hermione felt sort of embarrassed that she hadn't even noticed her own father, standing right beside her bed.

'Well Krista, we should let Hermione get dressed and awake. Just meet us down in the kitchen hen you're done, dear,' Mr. Granger said to his niece and daughter.

'Alright, thank you,' Hermione said, grateful to be alone for a few minutes. She was still worrying about Ron, she didn't want him to be mad, but she didn't love him, so why did it matter so much to her? She hoped that by the time she was at Hogwarts she'd forget all about last year and just be able to move on.

When Hermione entered the kitchen she said good morning to her Aunty Lena, and her mother. And then she continued to pour herself some cereal.

'How has school been Hermione?' Hermione looked up from her cereal, and looked toward her mother. She wasn't sure if her Aunty Lena knew about Hogwarts. Her mother was looking at her expectantly, giving no sign as to what to say.

'Oh, um, it's been good… classes were- uh- interesting,' Hermione tried to make it sound like she was talking about every school, magical or not, when her mother put in:

'Oh, your Aunty knows dear, about Hogwarts, she thought it was quite neat that your Great Grandpa Logan's genes went into you. She knew it would happen sooner or later,' Hermione gaped at her mother. She had never told her that her Dad's grandpa had been a wizard. And she was always surprised that Mrs. Granger had said this all so normally, like it happened every day.

'Oh, why didn't you ever tell me?' Hermione didn't want to get mad at her mother, but she couldn't believe she had never told her.

'I thought you knew, I'm sorry dear, but we can talk about his later. We can start to plan the day with your Aunty Lena.

'Vhat a great idea, I vas tinking that ve could go to zee horseback riding lesson, down at zee stables. Vhat do tink about that Hermione?'

'Oh, that would be wonderful, Aunty Lena! I'll just go and get ready. Do you want me to tell Krista and Dad?' Hermione was overjoyed at the thought of getting on a horse again. She used to go every weekend until she started going to The Burrow. This thought made her sad at the thought of Ron and his family, but happy that she didn't have to deal with it right now.

'Yes, please go tell your cousin and father to get ready, dear,' Mrs. Granger told her only daughter. Hermione left and ran upstairs, she knocked Krista's door, and found her reading one of her spell books.

'What are you doing Krista? Did you find that in my room?' Hermione tried to keep her patience with her ten year old cousin. She treasured her books, and didn't like people stealing them.

'Oh, yes. I'm very sorry Hermione, I only just vanted to see it. It looked so intervesting. Would you mind if I told you sumzing, Hermione?' Krista had a worried look on her face, she looked almost nervous. Hermione sat on the side of her cousin's bed and nodded her head to signal her to go on.

'Vell, it's just that I got zis letter in zee mail. On zee envelope there is an emblem zat says Beauxbatons, but zat eez not an elementary school in zee area, I vas afraid to open eet, I thought you could help…' Krista trailed off, and Hermione wasn't quite sure how to tell her cousin that she was a witch, and would be going to a magic school.

'Umm, let me read the letter and I'll see what I can do, alright?' Hermione was using her kind voice to let Krista know that she wasn't angry or annoyed by her plea for help. Krista handed her the envelope and Hermione took the letter out and read through it.

'It's all in French Krista. I can't read it. But I do know that Beauxbatons is a magic school, so you are probably a witch, just like me!' Hermione made this sound fun, and inviting.

'Yay! I vas hoping that vould be eet!' Krista had a huge grin on her face and hopped up out of bed, and ran downstairs. Hermione guessed that she was off to tell her mother the good news.

Hermione left down the hallway and nearly bumped into her dad.

'Hi, hun, what's the rush?' Mr. Granger looked at his daughter and Hermione told him that they were going to go to the stables for a ride if he wanted to join. He never was a big fan of the riding though.

Hermione got ready, and went back downstairs. She looked in the kitchen, but no one was there. She saw a piece of paper on the table and went over to read it.

_Hermione, _

_We left to get Krista's things for Beauxbatons_. _Hope you aren't disappointed; we can go horse back riding another time. _

_Lena, Krista, Katherine, and Doug_

Hermione was more than a little disappointed. Could they have not waited just three extra minutes? Why was Krista so important? Hermione could have gotten her things for school to. She left the kitchen and went to the spare room where she slept when she visited. She sat her desk and took out a quill. She was about to write to Harry and Ron, but she realized that they probably wouldn't be very sympathetic. So instead she curled up with a book she had gotten from her mother's bookshelf, and read. She finished the book, and just lay on her bed thinking everything over. She concluded that life just isn't fair.


End file.
